A simple solution to the portion problem is to use smaller dishes. Eating off of 8-inch salad plates instead of 10-inch (or larger) dinner plates, and using small bowls instead of large soup bowls can help you feel like you’re still getting a full plate’s worth of food but with far fewer calories, according to Cornell’s Food Lab. You won’t even miss the extra bites! Here are 10 more kitchen tools that help with help loss.

4. Snack right: Who wouldn't love to sneak in some snacks? But it is important that you choose the right snack. Go for a cup of yoghurt, a fresh fruit, a handful of nuts, whole wheat munchies or some salad sticks with hummus. Try your own version of a healthy snack by combining carbohydrates with proteins, for instance- a pear or apple with a teaspoon of a peanut or almond butter or a whole wheat cracker with 10grams of feta cheese. Such options keep you full for longer and provide a feeling of satiety.

Eating less of fibre-rich food and more processed food can make your blood sugar levels rise, which leads to greater insulin release than required. Having higher insulin levels for a longer period of time (along with consuming more sugar-based items) can lead to obesity. “When a person includes at least 4 to 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, it helps enhance digestion and increase metabolism, which leads to weight loss,” says nutritionist and food consultant Anjali Peswani. Chawla suggests you have 2 high-fibre fruits, two bowls of green veggies and 3 bowls of salad in a day.

Meal prepping takes a few hours a week, but it's worth it: By getting your meals ready ahead of time, you won't be so tempted to order your go-to Chinese takeout when you're tired and hungry after work. "When you plan an entire week of dinner in advance, you're way less likely to go off course and indulge in foods that aren't good for you," says Pamela Salzman, a certified holistic health expert and cooking instructor. And since you planned things out, you'll actually get the protein, fruit, and veggies your body needs — and you'll lose weight in the process.

In the 1970’s and ‘80’s, saturated fats got shoved into the spotlight as the main cause for obesity. Coconut oil, being a saturated fat, was tossed along with the rest of them. The healthier alternative that we created? Trans-fat. One could say that backfired a wee bit eh? Coconut oil isn’t just any old saturated fat though; it contains unique fats called medium chain triglycerides that help you use energy (aka calories) more efficiently. MCT’s are indeed a saturated fat, but they are not the same as many of the other saturated fats we hear about-those fats are long chain triglycerides. Why does the length matter? Its chemical makeup is what determines how our body processes it and breaks it down. MCT’s are not broken down in the intestines, and therefore do not get stored away immediately as fat. Instead, they absorbed intact and sent right to the liver, where they are used as energy. Now sitting around eating coconut oil isn’t going to make you lose weight, but using it as a replacement fat can be a good choice. In addition to that, just plain coconut oil is an incredible appetite suppressant (it’s almost scary, actually.) Tack on that it can raise energy levels and you are more likely to get out, move around, and exercise.

Counting your steps? A simple way to get your number higher (and your pounds lower) is to multitask while you walk, Battistelli says. Invite a friend and catch up, try a walking tour around a city, put on a movie in front of the treadmill, or load an audiobook or podcast on your phone and hit the pavement. These are the 10 things you need to know about water weight.
It's also important to identify the strategies that feel right for you. A tactic like intermittent fasting may work for some, for example, but others may feel loopy come 11 a.m. without an energy-boosting breakfast. Check out the tips below to help you figure out how to lose weight naturally, in a way that feels totally customized to you and your body. That way, once the pounds peel off, they can stay off—for good.